the hunchback of notre dame- 第62部分

The　captain；　emboldened　by　her　gentleness；　clasped　her　waist　without　resistance；　then　began　softly　to　unlace　the　poor　child's　corsage；　and　disarranged　her　tucker　to　such　an　extent　that　the　panting　priest　beheld　the　gypsy's　beautiful　shoulder　emerge　from　the　gauze；　as　round　and　brown　as　the　moon　rising　through　the　mists　of　the　horizon。

The　young　girl　allowed　Phoebus　to　have　his　way。　　She　did　not　appear　to　perceive　it。　　The　eye　of　the　bold　captain　flashed。

Suddenly　she　turned　towards　him；

〃Phoebus；〃　she　said；　with　an　expression　of　infinite　love；　〃instruct　me　in　thy　religion。〃

〃My　religion！〃　exclaimed　the　captain；　bursting　with　laughter；　〃I　instruct　you　in　my　religion！　　~Corne　et　tonnerre~！　　What　do　you　want　with　my　religion？〃

〃In　order　that　we　may　be　married；〃　she　replied。

The　captain's　face　assumed　an　expression　of　mingled　surprise　and　disdain；　of　carelessness　and　libertine　passion。

〃Ah；　bah！〃　said　he；　〃do　people　marry？〃

The　Bohemian　turned　pale；　and　her　head　drooped　sadly　on　her　breast。

〃My　beautiful　love；〃　resumed　Phoebus；　tenderly；　〃what　nonsense　is　this？　　A　great　thing　is　marriage；　truly！　　one　is　none　the　less　loving　for　not　having　spit　Latin　into　a　priest's　shop！〃

While　speaking　thus　in　his　softest　voice；　he　approached　extremely　near　the　gypsy；　his　caressing　hands　resumed　their　place　around　her　supple　and　delicate　waist；　his　eye　flashed　more　and　more；　and　everything　announced　that　Monsieur　Phoebus　was　on　the　verge　of　one　of　those　moments　when　Jupiter　himself　commits　so　many　follies　that　Homer　is　obliged　to　summon　a　cloud　to　his　rescue。

But　Dom　Claude　saw　everything。　　The　door　was　made　of　thoroughly　rotten　cask　staves；　which　left　large　apertures　for　the　passage　of　his　hawklike　gaze。　　This　brown…skinned；　broad…　shouldered　priest；　hitherto　condemned　to　the　austere　virginity　of　the　cloister；　was　quivering　and　boiling　in　the　presence　of　this　night　scene　of　love　and　voluptuousness。　　This　young　and　beautiful　girl　given　over　in　disarray　to　the　ardent　young　man；　made　melted　lead　flow　in　his…veins；　his　eyes　darted　with　sensual　jealousy　beneath　all　those　loosened　pins。　　Any　one　who　could；　at　that　moment；　have　seen　the　face　of　the　unhappy　man　glued　to　the　wormeaten　bars；　would　have　thought　that　he　beheld　the　face　of　a　tiger　glaring　from　the　depths　of　a　cage　at　some　jackal　devouring　a　gazelle。　　His　eye　shone　like　a　candle　through　the　cracks　of　the　door。

All　at　once；　Phoebus；　with　a　rapid　gesture；　removed　the　gypsy's　gorgerette。　　The　poor　child；　who　had　remained　pale　and　dreamy；　awoke　with　a　start；　she　recoiled　hastily　from　the　enterprising　officer；　and；　casting　a　glance　at　her　bare　neck　and　shoulders；　red；　confused；　mute　with　shame；　she　crossed　her　two　beautiful　arms　on　her　breast　to　conceal　it。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　flame　which　burned　in　her　cheeks；　at　the　sight　of　her　so　silent　and　motionless；　one　would　have。　declared　her　a　statue　of　Modesty。　　Her　eyes　were　lowered。

But　the　captain's　gesture　had　revealed　the　mysterious　amulet　which　she　wore　about　her　neck。

〃What　is　that？〃　he　said；　seizing　this　pretext　to　approach　once　more　the　beautiful　creature　whom　he　had　just　alarmed。

〃Don't　touch　it！〃　she　replied；　quickly；　〃'tis　my　guardian。　It　will　make　me　find　my　family　again；　if　I　remain　worthy　to　do　so。　　Oh；　leave　me；　monsieur　le　capitaine！　　My　mother！　My　poor　mother！　　My　mother！　　Where　art　thou？　　Come　to　my　rescue！　　Have　pity；　Monsieur　Phoebus；　give　me　back　my　gorgerette！〃

Phoebus　retreated　amid　said　in　a　cold　tone；

〃Oh；　mademoiselle！　　I　see　plainly　that　you　do　not　love　me！〃

〃I　do　not　love　him！〃　exclaimed　the　unhappy　child；　and　at　the　same　time　she　clung　to　the　captain；　whom　she　drew　to　a　seat　beside　her。　　〃I　do　not　love　thee；　my　Phoebus？　　What　art　thou　saying；　wicked　man；　to　break　my　heart？　　Oh；　take　me！　take　all！　do　what　you　will　with　me；　I　am　thine。　　What　matters　to　me　the　amulet！　　What　matters　to　me　my　mother！　'Tis　thou　who　art　my　mother　since　I　love　thee！　　Phoebus；　my　beloved　Phoebus；　dost　thou　see　me？　　'Tis　I。　　Look　at　me；　'tis　the　little　one　whom　thou　wilt　surely　not　repulse；　who　comes；　who　comes　herself　to　seek　thee。　　My　soul；　my　life；　my　body；　my　person；　all　is　one　thingwhich　is　thine；　my　captain。　Well；　no！　　We　will　not　marry；　since　that　displeases　thee；　and　then；　what　am　I？　a　miserable　girl　of　the　gutters；　whilst　thou；　my　Phoebus；　art　a　gentleman。　　A　fine　thing；　truly！　　A　dancer　wed　an　officer！　　I　was　mad。　　No；　Phoebus；　no；　I　will　be　thy　mistress；　thy　amusement；　thy　pleasure；　when　thou　wilt；　a　girl　who　shall　belong　to　thee。　　I　was　only　made　for　that；　soiled；　despised；　dishonored；　but　what　matters　it？beloved。　I　shall　be　the　proudest　and　the　most　joyous　of　women。　　And　when　I　grow　old　or　ugly；　Phoebus；　when　I　am　no　longer　good　to　love　you；　you　will　suffer　me　to　serve　you　still。　　Others　will　embroider　scarfs　for　you；　'tis　I；　the　servant；　who　will　care　for　them。　　You　will　let　me　polish　your　spurs；　brush　your　doublet；　dust　your　riding…boots。　　You　will　have　that　pity；　will　you　not；　Phoebus？　　Meanwhile；　take　me！　here；　Phoebus；　all　this　belongs　to　thee；　only　love　me！　　We　gypsies　need　only　air　and　love。〃

So　saying；　she　threw　her　arms　round　the　officer's　neck；　she　looked　up　at　him；　supplicatingly；　with　a　beautiful　smile；　and　all　in　tears。　　Her　delicate　neck　rubbed　against　his　cloth　doublet　with　its　rough　embroideries。　　She　writhed　on　her　knees；　her　beautiful　body　half　naked。　　The　intoxicated　captain　pressed　his　ardent　lips　to　those　lovely　African　shoulders。　The　young　girl；　her　eyes　bent　on　the　ceiling；　as　she　leaned　backwards；　quivered；　all　palpitating；　beneath　this　kiss。

All　at　once；　above　Phoebus's　head　she　beheld　another　head；　a　green；　livid；　convulsed　face；　with　the　look　of　a　lost　soul；　near　this　face　was　a　hand　grasping　a　poniard。It　was　the　face　and　hand　of　the　priest；　he　had　broken　the　door　and　he　was　there。　　Phoebus　could　not　see　him。　　The　young　girl　remained　motionless；　frozen　with　terror；　dumb；　beneath　that　terrible　apparition；　like　a　dove　which　should　raise　its　head　at　the　moment　when　the　hawk　is　gazing　into　her　nest　with　its　round　eyes。

She　could　not　even　utter　a　cry。　　She　saw　the　poniard　descend　upon　Phoebus；　and　rise　again；　reeking。

〃Maledictions！〃　said　the　captain；　and　fell。

She　fainted。

At　the　moment　when　her　eyes　closed；　when　all　feeling　vanished　in　her；　she　thought　that　she　felt　a　touch　of　fire　imprinted　upon　her　lips；　a　kiss　more　burning　than　the　red…hot　iron　of　the　executioner。

When　she　recovered　her　senses；　she　was　surrounded　by　soldiers　of　the　watch　they　were　carrying　away　the　captain；　bathed　in　his　blood　the　priest　had　disappeared；　the　window　at　the　back　of　the　room　which　opened　on　the　river　was　wide　open；　they　picked　up　a　cloak　which　they　supposed　to　belong　to　the　officer　and　she　heard　them　saying　around　her；

〃'Tis　a　sorceress　who　has　stabbed　a　captain。〃





BOOK　EIGHTH。






CHAPTER　I。

THE　CROWN　CHANGED　INTO　A　DRY　LEAF。



Gringoire　and　the　entire　Court　of　Miracles　were　suffering　mortal　anxiety。　　For　a　whole　month　they　had　not　known　what　had　become　of　la　Esmeralda；　which　greatly　pained　the　Duke　of　Egypt　and　his　friends　the　vagabonds；　nor　what　had　become　of　the　goat；　which　redoubled　Gringoire's　grief。　　One　evening　the　gypsy　had　disappeared；　and　since　that　time　had　given　no　signs　of　life。　　All　search　had　proved　fruitless。　　Some　tormenting　bootblacks　had　told　Gringoire　about　meeting　her　that　same　evening　near　the　Pont　Saint…Michel；　going　off　with　an　officer；　but　this　husband；　after　the　fashion　of　Bohemia；　was　an　incredulous　philosopher；　and　besides；　he；　better　than　any　one　else；　knew　to　what　a　point　his　wife　was　virginal。　　He　had　been　able　to　form　a　judgment　as　to　the　unconquerable　modesty　resulting　from　the　combined　virtues　of　the　amulet　and　the　gypsy；　and　he　had　mathematically　calculated　the　resistance　of　that　chastity　to　the　second　power。　　Accordingly；　he　was　at　ease　on　that　score。

Still　he　could　not　understand　this　disappearance。　　It　was　a　profound　sorrow。　　He　would　have　grown　thin　over　it；　had　that　been　possible。　　He　had　forgotten　everything；　even　his　literary　tastes；　even　his　great　work；　~De　figuris　regularibus　et　irregularibus~；　which　it　was　his　intention　to　have　printed　with　the　first　money　which　he　should　procure　（for　he　had　raved　over　printing；　ever　since　he　had　seen　the　〃Didascalon〃　of　Hugues　de　Saint　Victor；　printed　with　the　celebrated　characters　of　Vindelin　de　Spire）。

One　day；　as　he　was　passing　sadly　before　the　criminal　Tournelle；　he　perceived　a　considerable　crowd　at　one　of　the　gates　of　the　Palais　de　Justice。

〃What　is　this？〃　he　inquired　of　a　young　man　who　was　coming　out。

〃I　know　not；　sir；〃　replied　the　young　man。　　〃'Tis　said　that　they　are　trying　a　woman　who　hath　assassinated　a　gendarme。　It　appears　that　there　is　sorcery　at　the　bottom　of　it；　the　archbishop　and　the　official　have　intervened　in　the　case；　and　my　brother；　who　is　the　archdeacon　of　Josas；　can　think　of　nothing　else。　　Now；　I　wished　to　speak　with　him；　but　I　have　not　been　able　to　reach　him　because　of　the　throng；　which　vexes　me　greatly；　as　I　stand　in　need　of　money。〃

〃Alas！　sir；〃　said　Gringoire；　〃I　would　that　I　could　lend　you　some；　but；　my　breeches　are　worn　to　holes；　and　'tis　not　crowns　which　have　done　it。〃

He　dared　not　tell　the　young　man　that　he　was　acquainted　with　his　brother　the　archdeacon；　to　whom　he　had　not　returned　after　the　scene　in　the　church；　a　negligence　which　embarrassed　him。

The　scholar　went　his　way；　and　Gringoire　set　out　to　follow　the　crowd　which　was　mounting　the　staircase　of　the　great　chamber。　　In　his　opinion；　there　was　nothing　like　the　spectacle　of　a　criminal　process　for　dissipating　melancholy；　so　exhilaratingly　stupid　are　judges　as　a　rule。　　The　populace　which　he　had　joined　walked　and　elbowed　in　silence。　　After　a　slow　and　tiresome　march　through　a　long；　gloomy　corridor；　which　wound　through　the　court…house　like　the　intestinal　canal　of　the　ancient　edifice；　he　arrived　near　a　low　door；　opening　upon　a　hall　which　his　lofty　stature　permitted　him　to　survey　with　a　glance　over　the　waving　heads　of　the　rabble。

The　hall　was　vast　and　gloomy；　which　latter　fact　made　it　appear　still　more　spacious。　　The　day　was　declining；　the　long；　pointed　windows　permitted　only　a　pale　ray　of　light　to　enter；　which　was　extinguished　before　it　reached　the　vaulted　ceiling